Vampire twin vs. Human twin

Chapter 3: Disturbing News for Raven

“They're always around," Raven mumbled to himself. “Practically every day, but today they can't hang around and wait to see my early birthday present. Imagine that," he said out loud.

“But, I can still record the vehicle arrival on video and then send it around. That will make them curious enough to come and see the 'real deal' for themselves, in person," he said to his image in the mirror.

He was too tense to sing in the shower today. There was too much going on in his mind.

“I have to find out everything I can about this supposed lost twin of mine. I'm going to have to share everything with a complete stranger if they find him," he continued as he soaped and rinsed his body rigorously. He stepped out of the shower and dried himself with a deep feeling of resentment inside of his heart.

“It's just not fair. But they never found him before, so why would they find him now?" he asked as he stood in his walk-in closet looking for a set of smart-casual clothing that he could wear to dinner as well.

His uncle George and his wife Raquel were not that fussy about dressing formally for dinner. Luckily for Raven and his two siblings.

Raquel was out dining with friends most of the time. She had been a film actress in the past and she still hung out with her friends in the film industry.

It was different with their parents. They had stuck to traditions. That meant formal dressing for a royal dinner. No exceptions were ever made.

“I bet the car comes just as we start to eat," Raven sulked as he got dressed. He knew that it was too early for dinner now, but he allowed himself to exaggerate, as he often did when he was upset.

As he combed his dark, wavy hair, Raven had a sudden idea.

“What if I get some dancers to dance when the car arrives? It will be spectacular for the video," he told himself. “That would create a lasting memory for sure. Riveting stuff!" he continued as he inspected his reflection in the mirror for a few more seconds.

“Brilliant idea!" he exclaimed before putting the comb down on the dressing table and rushing out through his lounge.

He walked past the dining room without a thought because it was not nearly time for supper yet. He stopped after taking a few more steps.

“Was that Uncle George's voice in there now?" Raven asked himself. He reversed his steps to listen at the slightly open dining room door. “What's he doing in there so early and with who?" Raven whispered to himself as he tried to listen to the second voice.

“Yes, it's important for everyone to start acting as if the other twin is here already, so that we won't all be caught off-guard when he is here," Sir George was saying. Were they talking about the other twin, his brother? Raven stood there, barely breathing as he listened further.

“But is there a possibility that he is still around in the land of the living? It's been almost twenty years now, but he has not showed up anywhere?" Raven heard Claire, the cook ask.

“There are now suddenly more people who are giving clues than there were years ago after he went missing," Sir George responded.

“Aren't those just people who are looking for a reward? Chancers maybe?" Claire asked.

“No, the military men say that the accounts which these people are referring to sound real. They line up very well with the facts," Uncle George answered. “And they're sounding very positive," he added.

“Well, then we should better prepare ourselves in case it's the truth," Claire responded with a slight sigh. “I wonder how his siblings will feel about it if these accounts are true and the lost son returns? He'll be a complete stranger to them. They'll be strangers to him. It will be wonderful though, having him return home," she added in a thoughtful tone of voice.

“There will have to be a double twenty first birthday celebration if he can actually be found," Sir George commented.

“It will be most spectacular, of course. Almost too big to imagine," Sir George said in a more excited tone of voice.

“It will really be something else," Claire agreed. “But what about the fact that the twins could end up being uneasy towards each other? They don't know each other from a bar of soap at the moment?" she asked.

“The usual challenges in such cases will follow," Sir George replied. “They will need time to adjust that's what," he concluded with a sigh.

“But, they will simply have to learn how to get along for the sake of the country, isn't that so? There must be therapy for a case like this because it's not fair on either one of them," Claire responded. “He will be lucky to find out that he has a twin brother as well as two more siblings," she added.

“He might be happily settled into a family that adopted him, so he might be very happy where he is," Sir George suggested. “We have to consider that possibility as well," he added.

Out in the passage, Raven considered this possibility as well.

“That will work out very well for everyone involved," he told himself. “It will be good for him if he loves his present life. Why should he be disturbed if he's happy?" he asked in a low tone of voice.